Lady Bird (2017) Review

With a perfect score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, I knew Lady Bird had to be next on my list. I went in with very high hopes because of all the critical acclaim, and surprisingly, it met all of the hype. I was thoroughly pleased with Lady Bird, and I believe it will stand the test of time as one of the greatest coming of age stories on the big screen.

Rating: 9.7/10

Important Cast:

Director = Greta Gerwig

Saoirse Ronan = Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson

Laurie Metcalf = Marion McPherson

Beanie Feldstein = Julie Steffans

Lucas Hedges = Danny O’Neill

Timothee Chalamet = Kyle Scheible

This is a coming of age story set in the early 2000s in Sacramento, California. Over the span of an entire school year we follow the life of Lady Bird, a 17 year-old quirky, artistic, and audacious adolescent who is struggling to discover her path.

Likes:

1. Saoirse Ronan

Saoirse has had a glowing career, and I first noticed her as Agatha in The Grand Budapest Hotel. I still don’t know how to properly pronounce her name, so if you can help me, please comment lol.

She plays a spunky teenager, Lady Bird, that is artistic and smart but has many faults in which she can’t seem to identify. In the opening scene, Lady Bird is getting lectured in the car by her mother, Marion, and Lady Bird jumps out of the moving car. She is hilariously dramatic and expressive that makes for an entertaining lead.

2. Laurie Metcalf

Laurie plays Marion McPherson, who is dealing with the complications and pain of raising a millennial. In one scene, Danny tells Lady Bird, that Marion McPherson is warm but terrifying at the same time, and that couldn’t be more accurate. Marion has a huge heart and she just wants Lady Bird to be the best version of herself, but Lady Bird wants to rebel at every opportunity.

Marion thinks she knows best for Lady Bird, but that isn’t always correct. They clash the entire film and every scene is genuine. I was moved to tears by Laurie Matcalf’s performance, and I hope she will receive recognition from the Academy.

Dislikes:

Soundtrack

Since the film takes place in the early 2000s, there were countless opportunities to use some iconic tracks to help ground the narrative. Boyhood, Juno, and even Stranger Things did this spectacularly, and I believed Lady Bird could have done the same. There are a few times when the film does this well, but I felt like the opportunity was there and they didn’t take advantage of it.

Overall:

Lady Bird establishes itself among Stand by Me, Almost Famous, Boyhood, and a few others as one of the greatest coming of age movies ever. This unique and genuine story will continue to captivate audiences and I recommend seeing this. Afterwards, call your mother and thank her for putting up with you through your teenage years. Viewer discretion is advised.